U.S. faces resource crunch for Ukraine assistance
The United States is facing an urgent deadline to secure additional funding for Ukraine as its current resources are rapidly diminishing. In a letter to Congress, Shalanda Young, the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), warned that the U.S. will run out of funds to provide critical military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine by the end of the calendar year.
"There is no magic funding source... We don't have the money - and we almost don't have the time," Young wrote, emphasising the dire situation. She cautioned that a failure to act swiftly could have severe consequences, potentially "bringing Ukraine to its knees on the battlefield" and jeopardising the gains made against Russian aggression.
The White House has implored Congress to approve the necessary funding, stressing its crucial role in bolstering Ukraine's defence capabilities and maintaining the momentum in the ongoing conflict. The funding would also support the U.S. industrial base by enabling the replacement of older weapons systems sent to Ukraine with newer, domestically produced ones.
The Biden administration has further outlined the implications of not securing funding by the end of the year, prompting lawmakers to take swift action. The administration plans to brief Congress this week on the potential consequences of inaction.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
